C is for Chlorine and Coward

I dislike swimming. Loathe it actually. Really, I do! It’s not fun. In fact, it’s barely tolerable. (GASP!) I know…how could I? Hating swimming is like hating puppies, right. (Oh, and while we’re at it, I don’t really like puppies either.) Honestly though, my disdain toward swimming is justified. When I was a little girl I almost drowned. My cousins, siblings and I were swimming in my Great Uncle George and Aunt Gwen’s backyard pool. I was just tall enough that I could touch in the shallow end if I allowed myself to jump up and down. The shallow end was three feet deep, and then at the pools midpoint there was an abrupt drop to ten feet. I didn’t know that. Feeling comfortable with my jumping and touching technique, I made my way down the pool. When I hit that midpoint and suddenly couldn’t touch anymore I panicked. I couldn’t breathe, I couldn’t see, I couldn’t swim, call for help, and no matter how hard I tried I could NOT get my head above water. In my little heart I just knew that I was going to die. I don’t know how long I was under water or how close I was to drowning. But it really doesn’t matter. The experience immediately changed how I felt about swimming. My mom signed me up for swimming lessons every summer in hopes that I would learn to swim and get over my fear. I dreaded them. They made me nauseas. I would especially panic when the teacher would make us put our head under water and blow bubbles. Still, to this day, I WILL NOT go under water without plugging my nose. Although I’m terrified of water I still go boating, water skiing, white water rafting and I’ve even gone cliff jumping(ish). But that’s different; you get to wear a lifejacket. But for some reason people tend to look at you strange when you’re in your upper twenties and where a lifejacket to the local swimming pool…in the shallow end! But, I married into a family of fish. Most of my sibling-in-laws were lifeguards or taught swimming lessons. And I think all of them were on the swim team at one time or another. They grew up in the water and love to swim. And in hopes that my kids will also share that love for water, I go swimming. It actually works out quite nicely. Spencer treads water in the deep end, jumps off the 30 meter platform and does double back flips off the diving boards with the older kids right behind him.
All the while, I stay where I can touch, where a hat to shade the sun (because heaven knows I won’t be going under water) and splash with the babies. Earlier this week we spent the day at Lava Hot Springs (or Hot Lava as Brynlee calls it) with the Francis Family. It was a near perfect day and a day of firsts:

Jace went swimming for the first timeBrynlee floated around completely unassisted and jumped off the steps into the water all by herself Alec proudly went down the children’s slide without help. Bryn jumped off the high dive for the first time.And Gav did a flip (a flip!) off the diving board.

And I, for the first time in a long time, enjoyed myself at the pool.

Thanks Francis’ for sharing the day with us. It was fun.

**All pictures by SFoto! Thanks Sarah**

I’m in love...

...with this picture!

My nephew, Alec, at Lava Hot Springs June 24, 2009 Picture by SFoto To me this picture captures all things SUMMER. The fact that he is wearing my sunglasses captures FRIENDSHIP. The green grass surrounding him captures WARMTH. The blurred beach towels, swimming pool and shorts captures SUNSHINE. His contagious smile captures HAPPINESS, JOY, DELIGHT. His missing tooth captures CHILDHOOD. His uncombed, wet hair captures CASUALNESS. The enormous glasses on his tiny little face captures DREAMING BIG. His mom’s shutterbug reflection in the glasses captures MEMORIES. The reflected mountains, sky & clouds captures FREEDOM. When I look at this picture I can almost smell the sunscreen, taste an Otter Pop, feel the suns reflection, remember my childhood and hear fireworks. I LOVE summer. I think I will be framing that picture.

Alright, SHUDDUP already

(FYI: My original title for this post was “Just a few things…” But apparently I type like I talk, and before I knew it that title was no longer appropriate.)

Brooke and Brynlee

My little sister and her energetic girl, Brookie, came for a visit this week. We had a ball, like always. I love when family comes to visit. It’s noisy, yet relaxing. We {insert maiden name here} are loud! We talk loud, we laugh loud. We even sneeze loud. Sometimes we are so loud I get embarrassed for us. But not embarrassed enough to quiet down, mind you.

and Brooke bulk shopping

Brynlee

The first times I met Spence’s family I gave myself a mental pep talk reminding me to be quiet, and to laugh at a reasonable level. Spencer’s one of twelve kids. About 20 seconds into the visit I realized that I had nothing to worry about. Me and all my loudness fit right in. It was comforting.

*****

One of my favorite things about family visits is the reminiscing. It delights me to remember what used to be. I have great memories of my younger years, and it makes me all kinds of happy watching our kids create memories together.

*****

Speaking of memories, here's a few pictures of our house colored Orange.

I wish I could say that "The Great Paint Fiasco of o’nine” was behind us, but I can’t. The stucco guys starting working on our house about three weeks ago. And since then we have had 4 days of weather that was suitable for stuccoing. I’m not complaining. God bless the rain. But seriously, ease up a little would ya?

*****

Jace had is nine month appointment on Thursday. He weighed 19 lbs 8 oz (40th percentile) and was 28 and ¾ inches long (75th percentile). My little guy is such a charmer; he’s quite the little thing. He most definitely was blessed with his daddy’s laid back personality.

*****

The Man TV is still broken and I haven’t picked out a new vacuum yet {suggestions welcome}. However, the floors are clean thanks to some great desperation and the Shop Vac.

*****

Oh, and Katie, I took this picture while waiting at the railroad crossing near my house.

We waited for 45 minutes for the train, and it was the first time (and probably the last) that I wasn’t swearing under my breath at how long it took the dang train to pass. It was engaging. The snakes attacking noise made the hair on the back of my neck stand on edge. The snake would strike and hiss, then the bird would start dancing around as if he was mocking the snake. Every now and again the bird would make a loud shrieking noise. I think he was calling for back-up, and before we left there were three or four birds standing behind the first one. Pretty cool. And that's our life unedited all updated.

Right smack dab in the middle!

Something happened today that got me thinking. And the more I thought, the more I realized… Some people can paint a beautiful picture or create an amazing art sculpture. I'm not one of them. Some people can sing a breathtaking song that brings tears to the eyes. I’m not one of them. Some people always look beautiful, fashionable, presentable. I’m {definitely} not one of them. Some people can be a star on stage. I’m not one of them. Some people can swim, run or dance better than others. I’m not one of them. Some people really do excel. Surpass. Exceed. Dominate. But not me. I’m just average. Just common. Typical. The usual. I mean...sure, I have talents. Things that I am pretty good at. But nothing that makes me more special than the next.



I’m just an average girl, with average athletic ability, graduated with an average degree, from an average college. I have an average {or slightly below} wardrobe; I’m an average cook with average artistic skills. I’m an average mommy, an average wife, an average daughter, sister, sister-in-law, friend. I’m no diamond. But I’m not mud. I’m not an enormous mansion with a million dollar view. But I’m not a cardboard box either. I wouldn’t say I’m Porsche. Nor am I Pinto. I’m just average. Right smack dab in the middle. And, do you want to know what? It's okay. Do you want to know why? Because me and my extreme levels of averageness are comfortable. I'm happy, content even blessed being average. What more could I ask for?


*Part of this post was taken from my journal dated November 2007*

Pictures, Pictures Everywhere

I uploaded my camera today and do you want to know what? May wasn’t all bad! Although my bangs are still all kinds of ugly, Spencer fixed the dishwasher {reason #547 that I love him} and Jace had three new little teeth pop through. Plus, last week the summer concert series started. Meaning we will be spending some time sitting in lawn chairs, listening to music while people watching. Oh, how I love that this world is full of all kinds of people. I wanted to thank ya’ll for trying to comfort me concerning our Orange house. It didn’t help! But, I do appreciated the kind gesture. I will post some pictures of my house a’la orange in the next few days, but first I wanted to post some pictures of a few things that happened in May.

Freezing Strawberries

Baby Yoga

Soaking Feet Ladybug Lawn Ornament. Lovely! Brynlee took this picture Survival of the Fittest Summertime Rocks at the Zoo Sorry I’m not home right now, I’m walking in a spider web Baby Blue Eyes

Visiting my parents

My Alfalfa Mother’s Day Bouquet Sorry dad if that came right out of the middle of your best crop! Piano Recital

Waterfall